The toilet plume, an aerial dispersion of microscopic particles caused by a toilet flush, is a genuine phenomenon that has long piqued scientific interest because of its potential influence on the spread of microorganisms. Both aerosol particles that mix with air in the room and bigger droplets that land and contaminate nearby surfaces are produced when a toilet is flushed. Philip Tierno, a microbiologist at New York University even suggests that these aerosol plumes can reach as high as 15 feet¹ in the air – potentially landing all over your bathroom. To put this theory to the test, our Technical Team, in collaboration with our partner testing laboratory BioLabTests, commissioned their very own experiment.

Plume of doom: not a novel phenomenon

What happens after flushing the toilet was first investigated in the 1950s by a Danish microbiologist Jessen², who “seeded” several toilet types with Serratia marcescens (then known as Bacillus prodigiosus) and analysed the bioaerosols released upon flushing. Eight minutes after the flush, microorganisms were still being collected from the air in addition to the colonies detected on the floor-based settle plates.

According to epidemiological research, toilet plumes have since then been linked to outbreaks on cruise ships, in restaurants, on aircrafts, and in apartment buildings. Virtually all of these cases involved microorganisms which are able to survive for weeks on hard surfaces and are resistant to some common cleaning agents.³

Sample collection

The first step of our case study was collection of samples. Our microbiologists strategically placed settle plates (i.e. petri dishes containing nutrient-rich agar left open to the air) in various places around the bathroom environment so that the dishes could collect any airborne microbes that settle down on them. The plates were placed in positions which would be most commonly used in a bathroom, and at different distances from the toilet to get a good range of results. Mobility grab rails were also swabbed during the experiment as the area was too small to leave a settle plate reliably. See diagram below for locations of settle plates and the swabbing.

Results

The toilet was only flushed with water during the experiment, but even then, the results confirmed that there were visible differences between pre and post flush bacteria counts – suggesting a much worse result when flushing ‘organic material’. The highest increase coming from the floor settle plate situated 60cm away from the toilet with an alarming rise of almost 190% in bacteria. The second highest development was the toilet tank position, with an increase of 140%. What is most alarming about this particular result is that the flusher is positioned just below the toilet tank lid. This means that there is a much higher possibility for cross-contamination when touching the flusher.

Surprisingly, there was also an increase in the plate furthest away from the toilet (120cm away) which suggests that the “toilet plume” is indeed a real occurrence that has the potential of spreading microbes all around your bathroom.

Integrating built-in antimicrobial technology in places where cleaning chemicals fall short

With the results of our case study in mind, it may be time to rethink where and how you store your bathroom products from your toothbrush to your towels, and always make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after every visit to the toilet.

However, where short-term disinfectants fail to succeed, BioCote® in-built antimicrobial technology comes to the rescue. Operating in conjunction with frequent and rigorous cleaning regimes as well as strong hand hygiene, once infused into the material of the product such as a sink, bathroom tiles or a ceramic toilet bowl, BioCote® additives provide the ultimate hygiene solution.

Our technology actively reduces the number of microbes on a protected surface. It works in between cleans to control the levels of microbes on those surfaces, working constantly and lasting for the expected lifetime of that product. Less microbes on the surface means less odours, less staining, reduced material degradation, and ultimately, a reduced probability of microbial cross-contamination from one surface to another.

If you are interested in finding out more about our solutions, or in making your own product range antimicrobial, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the BioCote® team on +44 (0) 2477 712 489. Alternatively, you can contact us here.